What happened
During a flight originating from Freetown, a three-engine aircraft was performing its final approach into Monrovia when it encountered sudden windshear. This atmospheric disturbance caused the aircraft to lose altitude, leading to a collision with the ground approximately 5 meters short of the runway threshold. The impact occurred at an elevation roughly 0.8 to 1 meter below the level of the runway.
Upon striking the terrain, the left main landing gear was ripped from the airframe. The aircraft then slid and rolled across the ground for a distance of approximately 300 meters before finally coming to a halt.
Findings
- The primary factor in the loss of altitude was the encounter with windshear during the approach phase.
- The impact resulted in the aircraft being declared a total loss due to damage beyond repair.
- Despite the severity of the ground strike, all 11 occupants managed to exit the aircraft without sustaining any injuries.